Honey and Clover
by tigerpawpad
Summary: The line of Durin does not always get along, Fili and Kili are growing up, and Thorin comforts Kili. My first fic based off the hobbit, I have been reading The Fellowship and wanted to try something out. Also, parental fluff feels eue!


"Go on, then," Fili laughed. He shoved Kili's pair of boots that had been warming by the fire into his crossed arms. Kili stumbled backwards a step, an ache expanding in his chest, partly because Fili dismissed him so easily, and partly because he was growing stronger by the day and Kili felt bruised. Fili had turned around and finished off a drink of deep red wine, it smelled strong and filled the room with blood orange and roses. Kili did not mind the smell, but he preferred the smell of duck roasting over the fire, or an open bottle of honey brandy, nectar and clover swarming his brain when he and Fili would sneak snips off Uncle's bottle. But Fili had left Kili, gone off to the pub with a traveling dwarf, someone they barely knew; they brought back most of a bottle of wine and two dwarf maidens, sisters, daughters of a progressed farmer.

"But, Fili-" Kili stopped, Fili gripped his shoulder with a strong hand and placed a finger to his lips, "Kili, I have matters to attend to," after Fili spoke a giggle came from behind the cloth that separated Kili's space in their small cabin from Fili's, "urgently."

Kili scowled. Fili patted his cousin's cheek and grinned widely, his eyes shining and energy running through him in waves. He smelled of pipe weed and ale. Kili dragged his boots on, shut the door behind him and walked with his head down to his Uncle Thorin's.

He came in through the kitchen and saw his uncle was up and sitting by the fire. He was bent close to it, his elbows on his strong thighs, a long thin pipe with a small bowl rested on his lips. His eyes were lost, the pale blue reflected the hotness of the fire, the light shifted around shadow. The fire danced wickedly, cracked and sent sparks out of the hearth every other breath. Kili shut the door behind him, "Hello, uncle."

"Kili," Thorin turned towards his nephew, "come sit by the fire."

Kili brought another chair over and sat it quite close to his uncle. Thorin studied Kili's face, "Where is Fili?" Kili scowled, brought his kees up and rested his feet on the edge of his chair. He set his jaw, crossed his arms over his bent knees and rested his chin on them. Thorin softly chuckled, puffed his pipe and looked back into the fire. Again his eyes traveled far away, into the past, and Kili forgot his anger. His uncle's hair had streaks of light running through the waves that glowed in the fire light. His eyes still shone bright like the summer moon but now they carried a few branches of wisdom. His hands, broad and calloused, showed the strain of their many blows. Thorin inhaled deeply and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. Kili shifted and leaned into his uncle's strong shoulder, "Uncle, what were you thinking about?"

Thorin did not look at his nephew, his gaze was absorbed by the swift blaze, "Fire, long ago."

Kili was curious, "When the dragon came?"

Thorin paused for a long time before he answered, "Yes. When Smaug came and burned our great halls." Thorin looked into his nephew's eyes, their brown innocence flecked with gold, "But we will be back there, someday! And we will reclaim Erebor," Thorin clasped Kili's shoulder, "Soon."

Kili was warmed by the thought that by the next thaw they would be setting off on their journey to The Shire. Thorin rose and went to the far wall, pulled a bottle off the top shelf and found two small cups carved from bone. He poured a sweet golden liquid into each and carried them in one hand to the fire, with the other he carried the bottle which he set very close to him and on the far side of Kili. Kili gladly accepted the offer and sipped. Thorin smiled, "Now, where is your brother?" Kili stared into the fire and frowned, "On an urgent matter."

"So late?"

"'Tis only a night time matter," Kili furrowed his brow. Thorin rubbed a rough padded thumb over Kili's cheek, "One night, you too will stay up until the sun, and you will be glad of it."

Kili's scowl turned to confusion, "But how could he want to spend time with _her_?"

Thorin found words hard to find, for the maidens he had fancied faded from him like a flower picked. Kili looked at his uncle. Thorin poured him another drink, and then himself. They sipped and the warmth and spice stirred his mind, "Time has a way of separating the child from the old, by ways of innocence and experience. One can never tell when that will happen, but it is as predictable as the leaves falling."

Kili spoke, "what does that mean, Uncle?"

Thorin continued, "I wish to tell you why Fili has acted so, but I fear that the truth will change your thoughts. You are yet a child, but soon, that will not be so." Thorin smiled, but Kili noticed a dark gray about him, "I think its best we sleep." Thorin leaned down for his bottle and stood up with it and his empty cup in one hand. Kili finished his drink quickly and handed his cup to Thorin, who set them on the table and the bottle back on the top shelf. Kili followed Thorin from the kitchen to the main room. Kili yawned and rubbed his eyes, stumbling into Thorin's large feet. Thorin pulled Kili to his side as they walked down the hall. Thorin's cabin was larger than most, as the main room was spacious and in the rafters a loft was built. A sturdy stair led up to it, and it had a small window that looked at the sky. "I laid a quilt on the bed in the top room, I had a feeling you would be coming by," Thorin was wrapped in a big hug. A large fire in a great stone fire place had burned down to hot coals, the room was warm and the coals made a comfortably warm morning a pleasant thought.


End file.
